Chris Yakabouski jumps the gun on countering illegals immigrants.

Date published: 10/12/2007

THE OLD WAY to advance in politics, pioneered by George Washington, was to be a hero in war. The modern way, it seems, is to try to be a hero in the culture wars. Make way now for General Chris Yakabouski, Scourge of the Diacritical Ñ and “J”s Pronounced as “H”es.

Mr. Yakabouski, a Republican who (appropriately) represents the Battlefield District on the Spotsylvania Board of Supervisors, recently introduced a wholly superfluous resolution—the General Assembly beat him to the punch—declaring English the county’s official language. The keenness of Mr. Yakabouski’s interest in the threat to the Spotsylvania way of life by illegal immigrants roughly coincides with his political campaign to unseat Democratic state Sen. Edd Houck, a well-regarded 23-year incumbent, in the 17th District. Mr. Yakabouski’s fliers paint Mr. Houck as a secular St. Peter, “welcom[ing] illegal immigrants” to heavenly Virginia. But the supervisor may have gotten ahead of himself in directing county staff to explore using deputies to enforce federal immigration laws.

Spotsylvania Sheriff Howard Smith, who’s sensibly shaping a regional plan to train jailers in running background checks on inmates who may be illegal aliens, bristled that Mr. Yakabouski failed to consult him before launching an inquiry that could turn his deputies, charged with public safety, into papers-checkers. Whoever holds the Senate office that Mr. Yakabouski is chasing should be in close touch with the district’s local officials. Yet to clue in the county sheriff about a possible redeployment of his workforce, Mr. Yakabouski evidently cannot stir himself to cross Courthouse Road.

Even hypochondriacs get sick, even paranoiacs have enemies, and even the demagogically inclined can be right about public issues. By definition, illegal immigrants shouldn’t be here. Anti-illegal initiatives in counties just up the road such as Prince William and Culpeper might, as Mr. Yakabouski warns, effectively “herd” illegals into local jurisdictions, straining public services, without some deterrence. It’s also true that Mr. Yakabouski, in his anti-illegal crusade, has never pathologized Hispanics.

But Icelanders aren’t apt to be profiled and Flemish isn’t the encroaching lingo pols have in mind when they redundantly exalt English. Many Hispanics—surely, most—live and work here in full accord with the law. Respecting their rights and sensibilities while expelling the rule breakers is the right object of public policy. An ambitious politician in an uphill race may not be its ideal crafter.

Date published: 10/12/2007